Tabulating machine



Feh M 193% E. BUHLER TABULATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4 Sheets-Sheet l mix 22m.

' ATTORNEYS.

Feb, 1111, "M36. E, BUHLER 2,030,427

TABULATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 14, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I r M o 33 Z E I :NVENTOR. E V BY as a; n 3% 32 F610. 11, 1936. E, BUHLER 1 M TABULATING MACHINE I Filed Dec. 14, 1934 i sheets sheet 3 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZOZ22222221 ssasaaaaoaaoaaa3333335533333 444444441444444444 44 4444444 5.5505055565555555555 5550555 6605G665$6666666666666666666 777707777 70707777777 77 77777 aaaasaasaaaasaaaaaaeeaaesaaa 999994993 5199998 9990999 9999999 1 2 g 45 a 1 a a 11111 1213141515Tl10 19202122122125252125 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 13, 1936 E. BUHLER 2,03%,427

" TABULATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 14, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 10.,

152 --152 85a 8gb 68c 8d 80c 504 eoe 8? 50 g INVENTOR. BY 3 ATTORNEYS.

Ill]

Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 TABULATING MACHINE Application December 14, 1934, Serial No. 757,461

8 Claims.

This invention relates to printing mechanisms for accounting machines, in which a plurality of type carriers are provided with a number of types, which are movable to different printing positions. The invention more particularly relates to the suppression of zero printing under certain conditions in printing tabulators and will be described in connection with alphabetical machines of the record card controlled type. The preferred form of printing mechanism, which will be referred to in the following specification, is that iii which the type carriers are constantly rotating, and in which printing is effected as the proper type element passes the printing position, without interrupting the rotation of the type carrier.

In a record card controlled tabulating machine, perforated record cards are fed into the machine on which data is represented by the location of perforations on the card. These cards are fed at a speed in synchronism with the rotation of the type carriers so that when any one of the sensing brushes of the machine encounters a perforation at a location in the card designating certain data, the corresponding type on the type carrier representing that data will be at its printing position, and electromechanical means initiated by the sensing means will effect the printing of that data. The cardsused may be of the well known Holierith type. A type of printing mechanism adapted to prepare a printed record under control of such types of record cards is fully shown and described in the copending application of Eugen Buhler, Serial No. 712,537, filed February 23, 1934, and in connection with which the present invention finds particular utility.

It isthe custom when perforating record cards forthese machines to place a perforation in each card column in which numerals are perforated to minimize the risk of inadvertently omitting a significant figure. Thus any column in which no significant figure or digit occurs is punched in the zero position. These latter zero perforations occur to the left of the first significant figure of a number, as well as to the right of it where such a number has a zero in its makeup, but in printing numbers consisting of several different denominational orders, it is desirable to suppress the printing of all zeros to the left of the first left hand significant figure but permitting the printing of zeros to the right of this figure, regardless of their position with respect to any other figure of the number. In the printing of strictly alphabetical items, it is likewise desirable to eliminate all of the-zeros,

(Cl. Mil-93) One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved and simplified form of printing mechanism to print either numerals or alphabetical characters, in which mechanism is provided for automatically suppressing the printing of zeros to the left of the first significant figure appearing in a given field of a record card introduced into the machine. I

Another object is to provide new and improved mechanism for suppressing the printing of zeros appearing in printing of alphabetical items.

Another object is to provide new and improved mechanism for splitting the control of the zero suppression mechanism into groups in order that several numerical items may be printed simultaneously and that the first significant figure of each group will control the suppression of the zeros immediately adjacent and to the right of it, without effecting a numerical item, which may also be to the right of it.

There are other objects and advantages of this invention which will be apparent from the specification and the accompanying drawings, which show one embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference numerals indicate similar parts.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view to show positional view of parts of the device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detailed views of parts shown in Fig. l. I

Fig. 6 is a partial view of a card showing controlling perforations.

Fig. '7 is a detailed view of a modification of the device.

Fig. 8 is a view taken on line 88 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a development of the commutator shown in Fig. 1.

Fig; 10 is a wiring diagram of the machine and shows somewhat diagrammatically some parts of the machine.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, ashaft I is suitably geared to the main drive shaft of the device so as to rotate constantly therewith and make two revolutions for each cycle of operation of the 'device. Driven from shaft III through gearing ll, shaft I2 and gearing I3 is a shaft H which has secured thereto a printing drum l provided with suitable numerical and alphabetical character types. The constantly rotating drum is provided by suitable gearing to make one revolution for each card cycle.

A paper strip I8 is provided and fed past the type by suitable feeding means which is shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 712,537, filed February 23, 1934. This paper strip is adapted to receive printed records from the type elements I! and as the feeding and operation of the paper strip play no part in the present invention, it is deemed unnecessary to make any further detailed explanation thereof.

In the preferred form of device disclosed herein, in which both alphabet and numerals may be recorded from the perforated cards, single perforations in each column from 0 to 9 represent the numerals and an additional perforation in either the 0, 11, or 12 position causes a zone selecting operation for the purpose of printing alphabetical characters. For example, if a. 7 is desired to be represented, a single perforation in the seven index point position would appear, whereas, if the letter G was required, perforations would appear in both the 7th and 12th index point positions, in accordance with the code set forth in my previously mentioned copending application. Two sets of brushes are used in the machine, the first set is adapted to sense perforations in the 0, 11, and 12 index point positions to select the zoning in event of alphabetical tabulating. The second set of brushes is adapted to sense perforations in the 0 to 9 index point positions to select the type character.

First taking up the operation of the zoning mechanism. The shaft l8, rotating two revolutions per card cycle, has fixed thereto a gear l8 which drives a gear 28 at the rate of one-half revolution per card cycle through a suitable reduction train of gears l8a.

The gear 28 is fixed to a shaft 2| to which is also fixed a cam 22 (Fig. 3). Cooperating with said cam is a cam follower on the arm 23 of the bell crank lever 24, pivotally mounted at and biased in a counterclockwise direction by the spring 26. By virtue of the cam and spring the bell, crank lever 24 is oscillated back and forth once per card cycle. Fixed to the end of the bell crank 24 is a bail 21 extending transversely of the machine and fixed at its opposite end to an identical bell crank lever 24a pivoted at 25a (Figs. 1 and 4). A rod supported at 25 and 25a extends transversely of the machine and pivotally mounted on said rod is a plurality of selecting levers 28, one corresponding to each type carrier and its printing mechanism. These selecting levers .are biased against the bail 21 by springs 29 so that whenever any of said levers may be locked against clockwise rotation in a manner to be later explained, the bail 21 may continue to move clockwise under the resilient action of the springs 29. On the bottom edge of the selecting lever 28 are three notches designated 0, 11, and '12 corresponding to the 0, 11, and 12 positions in the record card and the lever 28 is oscillated in such a manner by the bail 21 that on its return or clockwise movement these three notches pass by a projection 38 in synchronism with the movement of the 0, l1, and 12 index point positions on the card by the upper set of brushes 3| (Fig. 10). The projection 30 is integral with a lever 32 pivotally mounted at 33' and biased in a counterclockwise direction by a spring, though normally held out of cooperation with the lever 28 by a pivotally mounted latch 34 which engages one end of the lever 32 by a projection 35 as shown in Fig. 1.

, A link 36 is connected to one end of a pivotally mounted armature 31 which is adapted to be acriphery of the segments. This hooked end tuated by energization of the magnet l9 to withdraw the latch from cooperation with the lever 32 to permit it to engage the selecting lever 28 in one of the notches such as shown in Fig. 4.

The selecting lever 28 is provided with an integral arm 38 which is provided with three steplike notches 39 (Fig. 4) and is adapted to engage a block 48 fixed to a notched selecting segment 4| and traversing the plane of a disk 42 which is fixed to the shaft 2|. There are two selecting segments 4| which are provided with studs passing through elongated apertures in said disk 42 whereby the segments 4| are carried by said disk but are permitted to slide back and forth concentrically in relation to said disk within the limits of the apertures. Springs fastened to the segments at one end and to the disk at another, hold said segments normally in their extreme counterclockwise position in relation to the disk. Pivoted on the disk 42 are pawls 43 which are biased in a counterclockwise direction by suitable springs and are adapted to engage notches in the ends of the selecting segments for thepurpose of holding them in a displaced position at selected times. The selecting segments 4| are provided with nine notches 44 so spaced that during the one-half revolution of the disk 42 for each card cycle the notches pass a fixed point in synchronism with the traversal oi the index point positions from 9 to 0 as the record card passes the lower brushes 45 (Fig. 10) when the segments are in normal unrestrained position. The notches corresponding to the 0 and 1 positions are continuous and form one single notch being cut away in back of the block 48 as shown at 46 (Fig. 5).

A hooked arm 41 of a T-shaped lever 48 is pivotally located in the plane of the selecting segments with the hooked end adjacent the peconstitutes the fixed point previously mentioned by which the notches pass in synchronism with the passage of the index point positions in the record cards by the lower brushes. With the selecting segments unrestrained, the notches pass by the hooked end also in synchronism with the numerical type elements of the printing drum I5, so that should the hook be released to drop into one of the notches it would cause printing to be effected of the numeral corresponding to that notch in a manner to be explained later. Between each numerical type element there are three alphabetical type elements so that in order to select one of the alphabetical type elements the notches would have to be displaced relative to their normal unrestrained position in order that the hooked arm will be delayed in dropping into the notch sufiiciently to let the alphabetical type element to be. selected arrive at printing position. To effect such displacement perforations are punched in the 8, 11 or 12 index point positions. When such a perforation passes the upper brush the magnet l8 becomes energized, unlatching lever 32 to permit the projection 38 to engage one of the notches in the end of lever 28 as previously explained, holding the lever in position for the proper step 38 to catch the block 48 momentarily which retracts the block selector segment 4| against the rotation of disk 42 sufiiciently to permit the pawl 43 to engage one of the threenotches 49 corresponding to the step39. Immediately thereafter the ball 58 fixed to shaft 581; is rocked counterclockwise, striking the end oflever 32 and withdrawing the projection 38 from its notch and causing lever 32 to become spa es? latched in position by the hook as the magnet is now deenergized.

The spring 29 causes the stepped arm 88 to be withdrawn from cooperation with the block 40. The disk now carries the notched segment in its retracted position now set so the .notches pass the hooked arm 41 in synchronism with cer-" tain alphabetical characters on the drum l5. The

particular one of alphabetical characters selected depends on a record perforation passing the lower brushes which causes the arm 41 to be released to engage its proper notch and effect printing. As the disk ll continues to rotate a raised edge 5i of the pawl 43 passes adjacent to a bail 52 fixed to a shaft 53 which rocks in a counterclockwise direction depressing the raised edge 5| and retracting pawl from the notch, thus allowing the segment ll to be restored to its normal position by the springs attached thereto. The shafts 5| and 58 are rocked by means of cam follower arms 58 and respectively which cooperate with cams fixed to shaft 2| wise direction by a spring attached thereto whereupon a trip latch or by-pass 59 engages a projection 60 on the T lever 48 and rotates said T lever in a counterclockwise direction urging the hooked arm'l'l against the notched segment.

As soon as the hooked arm 41 drops into one of the notches the T lever 41 is rotated still further in a clockwise direction so that the rotation of the T lever causes the arm 8| to cam the latch 62 out of latching cooperation with said arm and smultaneously causing a projection 63 to engage one of the teeth of an actuating wheel 54 which is fixed to the drive shaft ill and is being constantly rotated in a clockwise direction. This engagement moves the T lever to the right turning the lever 65 in a counterclockwise direction causing the end of it to strike an extension of the printing hammer 65 pivoted at 61, so as to throw it in a clockwise direction about its pivot to strike a blow on the selected type element to effect printing. when the T lever is moved to the right, the projection 50 moves from under the by-pass 59 and the end of the lever strikes a camming surface 88 to positively lift the projection 63 out from engagement with the toothed actuating wheel 84 and the T lever is then moved to the left by means of the spring 68 and is relatched by latch 52, the hooked arm being withdrawn from the notched segment by the positive camming section just mentioned.

. A bail 10 fixed to shaft Ii restores the lever 58 'to its latched position. The timing operation of the bails, latches and actuatorsare all described in detail in my copending application previously mentioned.

Considering now the elimination of zeros to ,the left of the left hand significant figure in a which is pivoted at 15 and biased in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 15.

The arm I! normally rests on the arm 12 and is held from rotating thereby. On the oppositelend of the bell crank lever 13 is fixed an insulating block 16 to which is attached a right angle contact element ll (Figs. '1 and 2) in which the horizontal leg of the contact element extends across the plane of the insulating block and the vertical leg extends parallel and adjacent to said block. Two contact elements 18 and 18 adjacent each other normally rest on the horizontal leg of sep-- arate contact elements l'l, thereby providing an all metal path between two such adjacent contact elements (Fig. 10). and insulating block move upwardly they slide past the contacts so that contact 18 rests on the vertical arm of one contact element 11 and contact l9, rests on the adjacent right hand insulating block 15 thus breaking the all-metal path between them. Each pair of these contacts 18, I9 constitute a bifurcated contact 80 of which a series are provided, and are mounted adjacent to each other across the machine, and are insulated from one another, there being one such ele- -ment for each denominational order on each printing unit such as the applicant is describing. Thus, each horizontal contact element II, has resting thereon one leg each (I8 and 19) of two separate bifurcated contact elements 88. A lever 8| is pivotally mounted adjacent each contact 18 which rests opposite the vertical leg of the contact element 19. This lever is adapted to be manually rocked counterclockwise to cam said contact 80 out of contact with the contact element I1, and hold it out of engagement until manually released. For the present, only the printing and elimination of zeros in connection with numerical listing will be considered.

when a perforation is encountered by the lower brushes in one of the index point positions from 0 to 9, the magnet l8 (Fig. l) is energized and the lever 58 is rocked counterclockwise as explained, moving the arm 12 from under the arm of the bell crank I3 allowing it to drop and rotate the bell crank in a counterclockwise direction until the contact element 11 is held against a contact bar 82. which extends clear across the machine. This bar is suitably mounted on the frame work of the machine and is insulated therefrom.

jacent elements 80 are resting with contact 18 on the vertical leg of contact element 11 and con-- tact 19 on the adjacent insulated block 16 so there If the contact elementis no circuit established between the two adjacent elements 80. It will be noted in Figs. 2 and 10 that the left hand contact 18 oi the two cooperating with element 11 is the one that will rest on the insulating block, so that should this figure be the extreme left hand significant figure of a number the bell crank lever 13 coresponding to the column of that particular figure will be the extreme left hand bell crank to be released and as its corresponding contact member is raised, the insulating block on that member breaks the circuit for all contacts 80 to the left so that no circuit is established through any of those contacts to the left to the printing magnet. This will be explained in detail later. A bail 83 extending across the machine is integral with the bail l8 and rocks counterclockwise striking an extension on bell crank 18 to unlatch it on top of the.

arm I2 which is being restored at the same time by the bail I0.

It will be noted that all bails shown in the drawings are shown in their restored positions.

As previously stated, all columns in the card which do not have a digit punched therein are punched at the zero index point position as shown in Fig. 8. This applies to numerical fields-in the alphabetical fields the columns not used for letters are left blank..

The zero printing operation is not initiated by the lower brush encountering a perforation in the zero index point position but is initiated by a zero impulse which occurs every card cycle and is initiated by zero contact 85 closing by means of a controlling cam 88 once each card cycle in synchronization with the passage of the zero index point position under the lower brushes 45. In order to do this and avoid back circuits the lower brushes 45 are cut out from the printing magnets I 8 during the passage of the zero position on the card past the brushes. This is accomplished by commutators 88 which are fixed to a shaft 89 extending across the machine and suitably journalled in the frame thereof. Fixed to the shaft 88 is a gear 90 which meshes with a gear similar to gear I8 and fixed to drive shaft I so 1 Brush 0 wipes the other track of the commutator and makes contact with the metallic segment 0' at the same time that brush a does. Brushes a and c wipe this segment while the brushes 45 traverse the 9 to 1 index point positions on the card.

Referring now to Figs. and 6, let it be assumed by way of example that account No. 9025 is to be listed. There are two zeros at the extreme left of the field that are perforated and must be suppressed in printing. There is one zero in the hundreds position which must be printed, and all zeros to the right of the units or last figure in the number must be suppressed. The columns to the right of this last digit, namely columns 22, 23, 24, etc., as shown in Fig. 6, must be used for other purposes and therefore must be split off from the other field. Cards I00 are stacked in the magazine and are fed one by one in the usual well known manner past the brushes 8|. The circuit through these brushes is only in condition to be established during the time when the 0, 11, and 12 index point positions on the card pass the brush 3|, by the closure of contact IOI under control of cam I02 during that interval. In the example given there are zero perforations in card columns I5, I1, and I9 (Fig. 6). When these perforations pass the brushes 3| the magnets I9 corresponding to these columns will be energized and the selecting lever 28 will be arrested with the catch in the zero notch and the corresponding step 39 will engage the block 40 to retract the sector 4|. No delay in the printing action will occur, however, as the sector 4| is cut away in back of the block and in the plane of movement of the hooked arm 41 so that it will immediately drop far enough to actuate the type hammer as soon as it is released at the zero position. I

The circuit just referred to is from one side of the line I08, through card lever contacts I04, now closed, brushes 3I, line I05, magnets I8 to the other side of the line I08. The machine is started in the usualmanner by closing start key I01 and closing a circuit from line I08 through start key I0'I, relay'magnet I08, stop key I09 (normally closed) driving motor IIO, to line I08. When relay magnet I08 is energized, relay contacts I I I close to establish a stick circuit through the motor. The start key is held until the cards start passing the lower brushes when card lever contact H2 is closed, completing a circuit from line I08, through start key I01, contact I I I, wires H8 and I I4, make and break contact II5, card lever contacts II2, magnets IIS and III, wire I I8 to the other side of the line I03. Energization of magnet Ill completes the motor stick circuit as relay contacts H9, and cam contacts I20, bridge the start key I01. As make and break contacts are timed to break during the time between cards when there is no card under the brushes 45, the relay III will become deenergized and open contacts H9. The cam contact I 20, however, is timed to close during that short interim which continues to hold the circuit through the motor and thus keep the machine continuously operating. As the card continues past the lower brushes 45, the perforation in the 9 index point position in the thousands denominational order (in the assumed example) will act to close a circuit from line I06, wire I I4, contacts II5, relay contact I2l (now closed), wire I22, brushes 45, brushes 0 and a of commutator 88 (which are electrically connected during the time that 9 to 1 on the card pass brushes 45), magnet I8, to line I03, thus tripping the magnet I8 in the thousands order and releasing the corresponding hammer 66 to strike the type character 9 as explained.

The corresponding lever 13a is released as previously explained to move the contact element "a upward with its corresponding insulated block 18a to take the position as indicated at A in Fig. 2. The units order printing mechanism will be released as the "5 indicating point position passes the brushes and the tens order will be effected as the 2 indicating point position passes the brushes, so that their corresponding contact element 11 will also take the positions as shown at C and D, respectively (Figs. 2 and 10). The hundreds order has a zero perforated therein but is not effected by the brush 45 as the commutator 88 will have moved to a position at the zero point in the cycle where brushes a and c are not electrically connected but instead brushes a and b are electrically connected (Figs. 10 and 9). This connection is effective while the zero point on the card is passing the brush 45. The zero control contact 85 is timed to be operated by cam 88 so as to close as the zero point position on the card passes the brush 45, to send an impulse through the following circuit: line I06, wire II4, contacts II5 (now closed), contacts I2I (closed), contacts 85 (closed), contact bar 82, contact elements II that may be resting against contact bar 82 at that time and such bifurcated contacts 80a to 80c inclusive as may be in electrical circuit at that time, which conditions will be explained later. From the bifurcated contacts 80a to We the circuit is closed at this time through brushes (1 and b on the commutators 88a to 88s and from thence the impulse is sent to the magnets Only those magnets corresponding to digits to the right and including the extreme left hand significant figure receive these impulses for reasons to be explained later, thus those magnets I8 which have already received an impulse to release their corresponding type, however, to effect the printing of a numeral, will not again eifect a printing operation since the bail I8 has not yet relatched the levers 58. The magnets I8 corresponding to those columns having-a zero perforation will not have been affected up to this time and this zero impulse will now energize these magnets only which correspond to columns perforated at the zero position to the right of the first left hand significant figure, to effect zero printing but the columns to the left will' have the zero printing suppressed in a manner which will now be explained.

Continuing with the assumption that the number 9025 is to be printed. Referring to Fig. 2, A represents the elements coacting with the thousands order of the number, B with the hundreds and C and D with the tens and units order respectively. As previously described, by the time the card has passed the brushes 45 so that element 'I'Ia (now in contact with bar 82) to the left hand bifurcation of contact 88b as viewed in Figs. 2 and 10 and from thence through the commutator 88b to the printing magnet I8 to effect the printing of zero. If the next digit to the right, i. e. the tens digit, was also zero, then the element 'I'I at C would not be tripped against bar 82. The zero impulse would then travel from the left hand bifurcation of contact 88b to the right hand bifurcation across the horizontal leg of contact element II at B to the right hand bifurcation of the contact 880 and thence through its corresponding commutator 88c to the magnet I8. -Thus the impulse may be carried right on down to the right to print as many zeros as there are.

The zero impulse is blocked from traveling to the left, however, since the contact element 'I'I corresponding to the left hand significant figure has been tripped bringing the insulated portion I8 into contact with its contact 88, thus in the example, contact element 'IIa has moved upward and the right hand bifurcation of contact 88a is now resting on the insulated portion 18a so that the zero impulse transmitted over the bar 82 cannot be communicated to contact 88a and therefore cannot be carried across to the next left hand contact element 11. Thus the printing of all zeros to the left is suppressed.

Referring now to the lever 8| previously mentioned. One purpose of these levers is to split the printer. In the example given as shown in Fig. 6, six columns of the card have been allotted to the field for Account No., namely, columns I8 to 2|, inclusive. The fields to the left and right of this field are allotted to other data and therefore must be split off from the possibility of being effected by any of the entries into the j-Account No." field as well as itself being effected by any entries in the adjacent fields. Thus in the present case, the lever 8| (Figs. 1, 2 and 10) adiacent to the left hand bifurcation of the contact element corresponding to the sixteenth column of the card will be rocked counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig. 2) to cam said contact arm out of cooperation with the contact element 'I'I corresponding to the fifteenth column in the card and the lever 8I cooperating with the left hand bifurcation of contact 88c corresponding to the twenty-second cblumn of the card will be moved to cam this arm out of cooperation with the contact element II at D which corresponds to the twenty-first column in the card. Thus, for example, the zero impulse transmitted through the bar 82 to contact element II at D cannot be carried through the contact 88a to the right of the last column and effect zero printing all'the way along the printer.

Plugging arrangements are provided in the circuits from brushes 0 and c of tlfecommutators 88 as shown at I88, iii, and I58. For use in fields of the record card where zero suppression is desired a jumper or connector I52 is inserted between plug sockets I58 and I5I to bring the commutators 88 into operative connection in the circuit of the magnets I8 corresponding to the columns in the field set aside for this purpose.

When afield in the record card is to be used for alphabet printing as well as numerical printing such as street addresses and numbers or code numbers with both numerals and letters, it is desired to eliminate the zero suppression and to print all characters indicated on the record card. In such'event, only such columns as indications are to be printed from are perforated; the rest are left unperforated as shown in Fig. 6. in the field including columns I to I5 wherein two columns to the extreme left and two to the extreme right of the field are blank as the name perforated in the field did not contain suflicient letters to fill the field. To eliminate the zero suppression feature, the circuit is broken between the brushes 45 and the commutators 88 by removing the connecting cords I52 between plug sockets I58 and I 5|, and providing instead a connecting cord I54 plugged into plug sockets I58 and I53 so that the circuit from the analyzing brushes 45 is shunted around the commutators 88 direct to the magnets I8. In addition thereto, levers 8| are rocked clockwise as shown in Fig. 10 (counterclockwise as shown in Fig. 1) to cam the left contact finger of the contacts 88 out of contact with the contact element 11, there. being a lever 8| for each contact 88.

This breaks the circuit from zero impulse contact 85 so that no zero impulses can be transmitted to magnets I8. Thus, as seen from the above, all printing impulses are initiated directly from the record card through brushes 45, plug sockets I58, connectors I54, plug sockets I53 to the magnets I8.

Fig. '7 shows a modification of the zero suppressing mechanism. Lever 58 corresponds with lever 58 in Fig. l and cooperates with its coacting lever 48 and actuating wheel 84 when said lever 58 is released by the latch I25 which is turned about its pivot I26 by the pull of the magnet I8 on its armature 58 when energized. The bail I8 operates in the same manner as previously explained to relatch the levers 58. The bail I21 running transversely of the machine, supports a series of bell crank levers I28, pivoted at I23 and biased in a clockwise direction by a spring I38. There is one of these levers for each denominational order-of the printer. The'magnetsll receive impulses as the cards pass the brushes 45 (Fig. 10) With the use of this modification the commutators 88, contact bar 82, contacts 80, contact elements I1 and zero impulse contacts 85 are eliminated, for in this instance the magnets I8 are operated directly from the brushes 45 so that there is a direct connection of wires from each brush 45 to each magnet I8, thus zero perforations in the card send their impulses direct to the magnets I 8. The elimination of zeros is accomplished by mechanical blocking as hereinafter described, instead of breaking the circuit to the magnets as shown in the preferred embodiment.

When the magnet I8 is energized it pulls the latch I 25 clockwise releasing the lever 58 which is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by spring I3I to effect printing in the manner as previously described. The end of lever 58 then rests against the bail III, the end of said lever abutting the fiat surface I32 of the lever I25 and holding it in its moved position so that the hooked end I33 is held adjacent to and under the arm I34 on the bell crank lever I28 thus preventing said levers from dropping when the bail I21 may lower. On each of the levers are pivotally mounted levers I35 having ends I38 extending a at right angles and intercepting the plane of the next lever I 28 adjacent thereto to its right as viewed in Fig. 8. Thus lever I35 on the hundreds denomination has its end I38 extending across the plane of lever I34 of the tens denomination T. There is provided a shoulder'I3I on lever I 28 under which the extension I38 of the lever I35 to its left (Fig. 7) extends. Thus it will be seen that if the extreme left hand lever I28 is held up the extension I38 of lever I 35 affixed to that lever, will support the shoulder I31 of the next to the right holding it up, and it in turn will hold the next right hand lever and so on. Thus any lever I28 held up will hold up all adjacent levers to its right. The lever I 35 is pivotally mounted on its lever I28 so that it may be swung counterclockwise to swing the extension I38 out of cooperative relationship with the next lever I28 at its right so that it will not be effected thereby.

Let it again be assumed that the number 9025 is to be printed. The levers I25 corresponding to the thousands, tens and units denominational orders will be released before the zero index point position reaches the brush 45.

This means that the hooked ends I33 of these levers will have moved under the arms I34 of each corresponding bell crank lever I 28; Just prior to the zero impulse or as the brushes 45 pass from the 1 to the zero index point position on the card, the bail I2! is timed to lower and all bell crank levers I28 supported by it will tend to rock clockwise under the action of spring I30. Those bell crank arms corresponding to the levers I25 which were previously tripped cannot lower because of the fact that the hooked end I33 is under the arm I34 and will support the bell crank lever. Thus in the example cited the bell crank lever I28 corresponding to the thousands denominational order (9 of the number) will be held up, and by means of the extension I38 will hold up the adjacent bell crank lever I28 corresponding to the hundreds denominational order (0 of the number) whereas the levers to the left of the thousands denominational order will lower with the bail I21 so that the arm I34 will fall in front of the hooked ends I33. The ball I21 will have lowered when the zero index point position of the cards pass the brushes 45 and send out impulses from these columns which are perforated at that position. In the example shown in Fig. 6, there are zero perforations in card columns I5, I1, and, making two to the left of the number to be printed which must be eliminated, and one within the number which must be printed. As the bail I2! is lowered at the time the zero impulses come from these card columns it will be seen that the levers I 28, which are not held up by the previous tripping of the levers I25 as explained, will have lowered so that their arms I34 will rest immediately in the path of the hooked end I33.

This prevents lever I25 from being rocked clockwise by the zero impulse to the magnet I8 thus preventing the printing of zeros on those columns so blocked, thus suppressing the zeros to the left of the left hand digit 9 in the example. The digit 0 in the hundreds position, however, is printed since the lever I28 corresponding to this position will be held up by the extension I38 on the lever I28 corresponding to, the thousands denominational order position which in turn is held up by the lever I25 which was previously tripped when the figure 9 of the number was printed.

The purpose of levers I35 is for splitting the printer so as to prevent zeros from being printed to the right of the unit number 5 of the number 9025, the lever I 35 on the units order will be swung counterclockwise thus removing the end I36 from interfering with the next right hand lever I 28 so as not to prevent it from lowering and obstructing the printing of zeros in the next adjacent field where desired.

A series of latches I38 is pivotally mounted on the machine and each one is adapted to be moved into position so that the hook I39 engages the hook I48 to latch up its corresponding bell crank lever I28 to render it inoperative. These are provided where it is not desired to suppress any zero printing which occurs for example, where it is desired to print alphabet and numerals as previously mentioned or where it is desired to print straight code numbers which often carry zeros to the left of the significant figures, such as for example 001, 011, etc.

The contacts I55 (Fig. 10) controlled by cam 88 are for the purpose of sending an impulse each printing cycle to the magnet I58 for the purpose of spacing the paper after each printing operation. As this has no part in the present invention and as the operation of the paper spacing mechanism is fully shown and described in" my copending application previously mentioned, it is deemed unnecessary to make any further explanation thereof.

While all the fundamental novel features of this invention have been shown and described and pointed out it will be=understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. I intend to be limited therefore only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a printing machine, a plurality of continuously moving type carriers each having a plurality of type spaced thereon, a printing hamincl", means for impelling said hammer against one of said elements while in motion to effect printing thereby, means for suppressing operation of said impelling means with respect to certain type and means for rendering said suppressing means inoperative at will.

2. In a card controlled printing machine, a plurality of continuously rotatable type carriers each having a plurality of type spaced thereon, printing hammers, a power actuator, coupling means for connecting said power actuator with said printing hammers to effect printing, tripping means for controlling the operation of certain of said coupling means and other tripping means controlled by the first named tripping means for controlling the operation of certain other of said coupling means.

3. In a record controlled printing machine, a plurality of type elements, printing hammers, a power actuator, coupling means for connecting said power actuator with said printing hammers to efiect printing, means controlled by the record for effecting operation of certain of said coupling means, and means other than the record for effecting operation of others of said coupling means.

4. In a printing mechanism, a type carrying member having a plurality of type elements thereon continuously moving through printing position, a hammer, a power actuator for impelling said hammer against one of said type elements-to efifect printing, means for selectively coupling said power actuator with said hammer at any printing position of said type elements and means for selectively suppressing the operation of said last named means in certain printing positions.

5. In a record controlled printing machine, a plurality of type carrying members each having a plurality of digit type and a zero type continuously moving through printing position, a plurality of hammers, power actuating mechanism, coupling means for selectively connecting said hammers with said power actuating mechanism, record reading means for selectively controlling said coupling means at any of the printing positions of the digit type elements and means for rendering the record reading means ineffective in its position corresponding to the zero type printing position.

6. In a record controlled printing machine, a plurality of continuously rotating type carriers having a plurality of type elements thereon, a plurality of hammers, power actuating mechanism, coupling means for connecting said hammers with said power actuating mechanism, tripping means for effecting connection of said coupling means with said hammers and actuator, record controlled means for selectively controlling said tripping means, other tripping means controlled by said first mentioned tripping means, and means controlled by said last mentioned tripping means for controlling said record control means.

7. In a record controlled machine, record analyzing means, a printing device including a plurality of groups of type, a plurality of hammers, a power actuator and coupling means for connecting said hammers to said actuator, tripping means for controlling said coupling means, elec trically controlled devices for selectively controlling said tripping means, circuits for connecting said electrically controlled devices with said record analyzing means, other tripping means controlled by said first named tripping means, electric contacts controlled by said second mentioned tripping means, circuits for connecting said electrically controlled devices with said contacts and cyclically operated switching means common to both mentioned circuits for periodioally switching the electrically controlled devices from said record analyzing means to said contacts. I

8. In a record controlled printing machine, a plurality of groups of types having a plurality of digit types and a zero, means for effecting printing by the digit type comprising a plurality of hammers, a power actuator and coupling means for connecting said power actuator to said hammer, a trip for controlling said coupling means, and means for suppressing zero printing comprising a bail, a lever supported by said ball and adapted to be lowered adjacent to said trip whereby said trip is rendered inefiective to control said coupling means.

EUGEN BUHLER. 

